The South African residential property market, which has seen a gradual shift towards a more client-centric focus, is responding to an increased client demand for an all-inclusive property service offering. This shift essentially allows the property owner, renter or prospective buyer to only have to deal with one point of contact for all of their property-related needs, saving them both time and money.
This is according to David Rebe, CEO of Sandak-Lewin Property Trust, who says that by taking a more holistic approach and streamlining services through a single centralised point, property companies are able to maximise the value and return of any property asset.
He says that it is for this reason that Sandak-Lewin Property Trust has recently launched a sales division – an expansion point that marks the business’ commitment to offering clients a full-service property solution.
“Well-run property management companies already have all the information necessary to execute a number of additional value-added services for their clients. Sandak-Lewin Property Trust, for example, which currently offers a wide range of services, from letting and sectional title management to investment management (assisting clients with renovating their properties in order to get a better rental return), works closely with some insurance brokers to facilitate the most competitive rates for clients and has all the necessary materials, knowledge and in-house skills to ensure an effective sale. A sales division is therefore the logical next step in expanding our service offering,” he says.
“Relationships are at the core of this business, and clients want their assets to be managed by someone who understands the history of the property and knows its real worth. The introduction of a sales division will give clients further continuity in their property endeavours, as there will no longer be a need to hand over the sale of a property to an external party”.
In addition to providing clients with a steady base and service provider, Rebe explains that the relationship will not come to a halt as soon as the sale has gone through. “Once a sale has been successfully executed, a management company we will remain the client’s focal point of contact. If, for example, a new owner was buying-to-let, by purchasing property through a management company, that same relationship could just be extended to include their rental services”.
“Furthermore, whereas a sales agent may not know everything about a unit’s building simply because they don’t have access to that kind of information; a management company, which has internal building and tenant information on hand, will be able to offer guidance and a solid way into a well-managed building. This extensive wealth of knowledge will prevent clients from being left out of pocket by, for example, being hit with a special levy shortly after a sale has gone through,” he says.
Rebe says that property companies are continually looking for ways to improve their service offerings going forward. “With local knowledge, a strong network and marketing abilities, a full-service property solution is definitely the way forward in terms of customer relationship management and future business expansion,” he concludes.
